Character Counts - Erwin McManus
Monday, April 30, 2007
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Erwin McManus is teaching right now on character, he used the NFL Draft as an opening illustration - about how character supposedly counts, but at the end of the day the player's ability is most valued. Every team thinks they can "work with him" but in the end often times they get burned.- Sustained success cannot happen without character.
- You need less power to motivate others when you have integrity they can follow.
- Is your character becoming more whole?
- Can you take on greater challenges than what you just completed? Can you be trusted with more power and influence?
- A whole person is a more generous person.
- Integrity is the pathway to courage.
- Your actions create a reaction, there is a cause and effect to your morality and character.
- When you tell a person what to do, you decrease their humanity. Let them solve the problem and develop character.
- The only thing that develops courage is humility.
- Humility makes us faithful.
posted by Unknown @ 2:26 PM |
Meyers Briggs Test Results
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Just finished taking the Meyers Briggs test - I've taken it before but it's fun to get an update and see if anything is chaning. Not much, apparently:
- Where do you get energy from? Extroversion
- Where do you get information from? Intuition
- How do you make decisions? Feeling
- How do you organize? Perceiving
posted by Unknown @ 1:20 PM |
Self-Awarness to Your Strengths
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A guy I'll call SnowCone led some discussion time about strengths based on that StrengthFinder test we took earlier. Here's a few of the highlights:
Weaknesses weaken you, strengths stregthen you.The highlight in this discussion-oriented time was being reminded about how your weaknesses in leadership can be remedied if you enlist volunteers and teammates that are very different from you.
You must identify where are you energized, and what is an energy zapper.
14% of people are in their sweet spot, waking up excited to be in the perfect match for their talent, strengths and theme.
JG
posted by Unknown @ 11:25 AM |
My Gallup StrengthsFinder
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Just finished taking the Gallup StrengthsFinder up here at Yelo, here's the results of my profile, from strongest to weakest:
- Maximizer - Has a focus on strengths, can take strong and make it stronger
- Woo -Has the distinct ability to meet new people and win them over
- Strategic - Can easily create alternative ways to proceed, quick decisions
- Activator - Is impatient, and is quick to move from thoughts to action
- Self-Assurance -Has an inner compass, and is confident in decisions
JG
posted by Unknown @ 11:11 AM |
Day 0 at Origins: Yelo
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Dana Elliot did the opening session at Origins, here's a few of her key thoughts:
The highlight for me from the opening session was the realization that you can do some things flawlessly that others have no idea how to do. And other people can perfectly complete tasks that you have no idea where to even begin. If you want the best results, you have to find the people that have those strengths and combine forces, with strong communication between the two.
- Everyone is made up of talent, strengths and a theme.
- A strength is the ability to consistently produce a nealry perfect positive outcome of a specific task.
- It is made up of 3 different things: talent, skill and knowledge.
- Talent is almost a super-human ability to do what you do.
- Skill is what you have to acquire to be able to accomplish the task.
JG
posted by Unknown @ 10:42 AM |
Life Hurts, God Heals Baptism
Sunday, April 29, 2007
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Fun night ... Life Hurts, God Heals had their graduation tonight - and there were quite a few baptisms tonight, too. Thought this was a neat image.JG
posted by Unknown @ 6:49 PM |
Google Searches That Lead Here: Volume 29
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Here's this weeks list of some of my favorite Google searches that led to the blog this week.
- rockharbor youth pastor
- glue boys
- saddleback promise blog
- cocaine energy drink downfalls
- magnolia "freedom fellowship"
- skits that teach patience
- mac
- the cliches believe nothing of what you hear and half of what you read
- chris sligh
- justin guarini april 2007
- pastor rick booya
- fellowship church grapevine incident april 22
- saddleback church doug elliott
- does anyone know how much it costs to start a chic-fil-a franchise
- rock harbor church western roundup
- allison snyder crocs
- media effect on teens
- brian regan comedy spiders
- rock group little america walk on fire for you
- redring shower california faults
- the voice you hear when you voice when you read silently
- spokane sabatticals
- i believe everything i read tshirt
- halo 3 assault rifle
- angela griffin you gotta have art
- any church that works with hillsong
- area bible study saddleback church
- formula coupons on ebay
- gameshow in my head
- stoplight video cameras orange county ca
- thyspace bju
- indiana jones and the city of the gods
- achievement game
- paul beloche
- superman skit church
- what's in the cream
- headless dog
posted by Unknown @ 5:34 PM |
Cooler Than Everyone Else
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Enjoyed reading this article on Relevant.com, some interesting insights on the playing field from gradeschool versus through the rest of life. And the best part is how Jesus looks at everyone near the end of the piece. Worth the read, here's the first few paragraphs:
The first time I recall thinking I was cooler than anyone else was my first day of fourth grade. I was the dreaded new kid, which thrust me squarely at the bottom of the cool food chain—a dangerous place to be. The unfortunate waif I had replaced at the bottom was Sean Harris, a classic nerd. Sean had all of the nerd necessaries: glasses that likely could repel bullets (unconfirmed), blindingly pale skin, ear wax pouring from his ears and the musculature of an infant. Realizing his opportunity to glean a friend from my regrettable position, he immediately sought me out as an ally in an obvious effort to pull off a Captain Planet-esque maneuver: “With our powers combined, we are Captain Nerd!” Captain Nerd was clearly the better option to Lone Nerd in Sean’s eyes.
Thus, within minutes of my entrance into the classroom, he approached me, and without introduction asked, “Do you like Sonic the Hedgehog?”
“Yeah, I guess,” I replied.
“We’re going to be good friends,” he stated matter-of-factly.
Intrinsically, I knew that an alliance with Sean was social suicide, and I did everything I could to distance myself from him those first few weeks. I was petrified of my new classmates’ opinion of me.
I don’t remember my parents teaching me that it was important to be cooler than other people. In fact, I’m quite sure they taught me exactly the opposite. I picked this awful habit up somewhere along the way. Where from, exactly?
JG
posted by Unknown @ 5:28 PM |
How to Pick the Right Ministry
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Just read on Tony's blog about helping young youth workers find their first church. Some good insight in here, here's an excerpt:
JGSo, right out of college young ministers start looking for jobs to lead whole faith communities, young ministries, para-church and so on. They believe, and often this comes from professors, that with the academic degree in their right hand, and their youthful vigor in the other, that they are going fix all the problems of some lucky place. It is no wonder that most ministers had a heart breaking experience of failure and frustration in their first few years of leadership, they had set themselves up for failure - and the church they serve at bears part of that blame as well.
The point you ask?
Don’t be so eager to be in charge that you get excited when a church wants to pay you to lead right away. Don’t be so eager to start making a name for yourself, that you take the broken ministry that blames the last guy for the problems, and expect that they won’t say the same thing about you when you leave. Healing wounds in a church is very complex, and many of the issues even predate the last three guys. Most churches need a veteran pastor in those situations, but are often unable or unwilling to pay for one, so they keep chewing up younger guys.
Instead be eager to find a place where you can continue to learn. Find a place that has a heart for investing in its young leaders, and has a strong track record for doing so. Find a place where you can sense the lead pastor has a strong faith and leadership that you want to emulate. Find a place that you respect, and believe in. Do not (unless the Holy Spirit is telling you otherwise) go into a “fix ‘er up” ministry situation. There are lots of churches and ministries that are in dire straights or periods of conflict, that have a history or issues in leadership that has them hurting.
posted by Unknown @ 4:42 PM |
People on the Blog: Volume 16
Saturday, April 28, 2007
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Tonight's edition of the People on the Blog is dedicated to other some of the top blogs that pointed here this week, in the order from most referrals to the least. To all of you, I say thank you.
My Top 8JG
Kurt Johnston
Allison Hibbard
Rob Cunningham
Alanna Pearson
Josh Peters
Matt McGill
Danny Bowers
Josh Treece
Honorable Mention
Adam Rosenbaum
posted by Unknown @ 10:41 PM |
5 More Episodes of Simply Youth Culture
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Just wanted to let you know we've got another 5 quick episodes of the Simply Youth Culture podcast up in iTunes tonight - it could be a valuable resource for your own learnings or to share with parents. Check it out!
JG
posted by Unknown @ 9:23 PM |
Knott's Berry Farm Fun Day
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My father-in-law took the family to Knott's Berry Farm today. Super fun. Highlights:- sunburned my face hardcore, I look like a raccoon
- drank a delicious $6 water
- ran through the leaky water bucket with the kids 400 times and got soaked
- had a blast in Camp Snoopy really the entire time
- fun family picnic time under the big coasters
posted by Unknown @ 7:17 PM |
Crystal Cathedral
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Had never been there before, actually still haven't been inside ... drove by it a hundred times, but took my father-in-law to see that area and snapped this picture. Beautiful building.JG
posted by Unknown @ 7:15 PM |
Running Red Lights
Friday, April 27, 2007
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Here's the finished video for church this weekend ... fun.
JG
posted by Unknown @ 1:19 PM |
Movie Review: Facing the Giants
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It's not exactly Friday Night Lights, but I sure enjoyed it. It's a movie made by a church, with pretty common people filling the leading roles. Honestly for a first effort it's pretty solid, this feels like a budget film but it's a great rent on DVD this week and has a good message framed in the context of football.I honestly appreciated it far more after watching the behind the scenes stuff and the making of series, those will help you appreciate their freshman film even more.
JG
posted by Unknown @ 1:13 PM |
Who Are These Guys? Episode 3
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There's a new episode of the Who Are These Guys podcast ... if you're one of the 4 listeners, you might want to check it out. And you'll get to hear my jack donkey story, too.
JG
posted by Unknown @ 12:37 PM |
2 New Blogs Launch
Thursday, April 26, 2007
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There's a couple of new blogs in town that I helped get off the ground this week ... the first is the conference blog for The Promise conference, and the other is the blog for co-author of Kingdom Assignment Leesa Bellesi. Check them out - they'll soon be updated by other people as they get up to speed. Fun!
JG
posted by Unknown @ 10:10 PM |
New Resources on SYM
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- Throw & Tell Ice-Breaker Ball
- Visual Reality Vol. 9-12
- Outflow Student Journal
- Internet Protect Your Kids
posted by Unknown @ 9:34 PM |
The Promise Photo Shoot
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We shot the pictures for The Promise opening video yesterday. Thought this behind the scenes shot was pretty cool - the pictures turned out GREAT. More soon!JG
posted by Unknown @ 9:28 PM |
Angels 11, Devil Rays 3
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Spent a fantastic afternoon with the boys at Angel Stadium, watching the fantastic Angels beat down Tampa Bay. So fun!JG
posted by Unknown @ 9:14 PM |
Rick Warren Podcast: Staff Morality Issues
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Rick Warren's podcast was just updated with a new show dealing with moral failures on staff. If you're not a subscriber, yet - now's the time. There's a new show every week ...
JG
posted by Unknown @ 9:12 PM |
Helping Student Leaders Succeed
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
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Here's the first draft of an article I'm writing for next week's Rick Warren's Ministry Toolbox. Enjoy!
One of the highlights from last summer was seeing students gather at Saddleback Church’s campus and learning about student leadership. As we prepare for this summer’s conference, I began to think about a few principles to help your students succeed in student leadership.JG
It all starts with discovering a student’s passion. You might use a S.H.A.P.E. test or something official, or maybe you just sit down over Starbucks and ask them questions so they can naturally discover how God has uniquely created them. Either way, fit is key.
Then make sure they have the margin to fulfill the commitment. Are you asking a student who is already overcommitted? Make sure you know how much they are already involved inside and outside the church ministry. Help them figure out what matters most in life, and learn to say no.
Be sure to assign adult leadership. This is an ideal concept – and I’m good friends with the real world. But we know that every student leader needs a mentor who perhaps even shares his or her passion for this ministry. In my mind, they need to be “hands off” as much as possible and “hands on” as much as needed. In an effort to help them strengthen their problem-solving and critical thinking skills, ask leaders to give direction but not be in control.
Then celebrate success as the student leader takes off. Recognize the initiative that a student has given, and show appropriate public praise. The temptation is to somehow misdirect praise to you, taking credit for what God has done through the students. Don’t fall for it; let them shine in the spotlight.
Lastly, make sure there’s ongoing evaluation. This is really the place to just ask questions and see what action might need to be taken. Is there someone else who should join this team? Is there a younger student that can be brought along in mentorship? Is there a better way to do this? Is there a new version, technology that makes this easier or obsolete? Do we need to take a break?
In the end, the key is to make sure that students are where they are passionate, have the margin to stick with it, and have someone to care for and encourage them. With a little celebration when things go good and some evaluation to make it better as you go, you’ll find student leaders that will succeed and become an integral part of your student ministry.
posted by Unknown @ 11:25 PM |
Origins Conference
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Taking the interns up to Mosaic's Origins conference next week, sounds like a good time. Here's a clip from the event:
JGThis is the experience thousands have come to love. This colorful, high-energy, and high-impact experience is sure to motivate and equip your team. You’ll want to return year after year with your teams to stay in tune with the apostolic ethos.
Origins is a leadership development experience designed to equip church and para-church leaders for mission in our diverse, pluralistic, urban, and multicultural 21st century context. Origins also serves as the annual convergence for the Mosaic Alliance, Origins Project churches, and other like-minded ministries.
The Origins experience is designed to immerse your thinking in a cultural architecture for the 21st century. At Origins you will connect with leading practitioners from around the world, Erwin McManus (Cultural Architect of Mosaic), and the leadership team from Mosaic, including Steve Saccone (National Mosaic Alliance Catalyst), and Neil Nakamoto (International Mosaic Alliance Catalyst). The entire experience will amplify the frameworks of ministry set forth in the scriptures and laid out in Erwin McManus’ book, An Unstoppable Force: Daring to Become the Church God Had in Mind.
posted by Unknown @ 5:32 PM |
My First ETV Blog Posts!
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Just posted my first couple of posts on the Building for the Next Generation blog ... check them out!JG
posted by Unknown @ 2:43 PM |
American Prayer on Idol
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Couple of interesting Idol notes today - 1) Jordan Sparks is projected to be the winner by DialIdol, with the others all being voted off one by one with Chris Richardson being voted off tonight, and 2) Bono wrote a new song called American Prayer for tonight's show, too.
JG
posted by Unknown @ 2:37 PM |
Martial Arts Experts
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JG
posted by Unknown @ 2:27 PM |
Staff Training Day - Volunteers
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Just got done with the morning session of our office staff training day, Eric Rees taught a session on volunteers. Good stuff, here's part of the strategy he taught to help strengthen volunteers by valuing them.
- Visit - spend a few minutes of face time before starting a ministry
- Affirm - take time to encourage and value them
- Listen - look for special prayer requests and personal ministry
- Update - let them know the impact they are making
- Equip - make sure they are trained and have the tools they need to succeed
- Shepherd - care for them, don't just use them
JG
posted by Unknown @ 10:41 AM |
Pick Six Crossword Puzzle
Tuesday, April 24, 2007
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JG
posted by Unknown @ 10:36 PM |
Running on Empty Video Idea
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We shot the stoplight video on Sunday, the Intern host home video today and the Promise video tomorrow afternoon. Whew ... so then had this idea tonight for another video for big church next week to finish out the series. Could be fun - comment in your thoughts or ideas to make it better!
We stage a lady running out of gas and stopped on the side of the road, and time how long it takes someone to come help her. Maybe put a clock in the corner of the screen, maybe we try it with a guy to see if it’s any different. Maybe we try it a few different locations, and give the first person to stop $20 to Starbucks or something and tell them what were doing. We hide the cameras so it’ll just be fun discovering what happens.JG
posted by Unknown @ 8:29 PM |
PDYM Student Leadership Deadline!
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Today is the last day of the extended early bird rate of $99 to get in to the PDYM Student Leadership Conference at Saddleback this July. We've had a great response so far and fortunately for those that totally procrastinate, I won't be able to pull it down until tomorrow afternoon, so there's still a chance to get in $50 cheaper right now. Hope to see you in July, it's going to be special ...JG
posted by Unknown @ 8:22 PM |
StaffNet Training
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Wow, spent most of the morning in StaffNet training - it's our internal database for all of the members and attendees at Saddleback church. It's a pretty amazing, if a bit cumbersome system. And the two women that taught the training really care about data integrity. Which is good, someone out there needs to, right?JG
posted by Unknown @ 8:19 PM |
Request for Podcast 50 Suggestions and Ideas
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Next week we shoot the 50th Simply Youth Ministry Podcast and on last week's show Doug asked for suggestions to help make #50 something really special. And did you hear the prize we're giving away for the best idea/email? Andy is going to have a conniption on that one - this is going to be GREAT. We've got a ton of ideas and thoughts come in - add yours today!
JG
posted by Unknown @ 8:15 PM |
Cool Part of My Job - ETV Blog
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My job is growing just a bit - I'm going to start helping out with Saddleback's Student Zone blog in the very near future, and I think it's going to be pretty cool. Basically, part of my job will be to raise the visibility of the Extending the Vision campaign to 5 key areas of our church. Here's the groups, I'll outline my full plan in the coming days, and be sure to post on this blog the current learnings, new directions and things that worked or bombed.
- Message to the Masses
- Encourage the Motivated
- Introduce to New Members
- Empower the Staff
- Rally the Students
posted by Unknown @ 8:04 PM |
Happy 1/2 Birthday!
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Allison - thanks for the cupcake - Happy 1/2 birthday today!
JG
posted by Unknown @ 10:03 AM |
Why Don't You Attend Church?
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Mike sent me a link today that was interesting. He's reading a book from James White called Rethinking the church which had some interesting statistics that you should know about. Here's a clip:
Mr. White commissioned a survey of unchurched people who live in the northeast area of Charlotte. The heart of the survey sought to answer a single question: Why don’t you attend church? Those being surveyed were allowed to cite as many reasons as they felt applied. Here are the results.JG
There is no value in attending. (74%)
Churches have too many problems. (61%)
I do not have time. (48%)
I am simply not interested. (42%)
Churches ask for money too frequently. (40%)
Church services are usually boring. (36%)
Christian churches hold no relevance for the way I live. (34%)
I do not believe in God, or I am unsure that God exists. (12%)
This research indicates that most people who do not go to church do not attend for clear and specific reasons. Their problem is not with Christian theology; it is with how we do church.
posted by Unknown @ 9:09 AM |
Mini Lunch
Monday, April 23, 2007
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3 big guys, 1 mini. Good lunch, if a bit cramped.JG
posted by Unknown @ 1:37 PM |
Are You a Games Cheater?
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I love this article from Wired about cheating in video games. I typically don't cheat, unless I'm a) blazing through a rented game, or b) am blazing through a game I don't care about, or c) am ticked at the developers for not making a game intuitively. It seems to happen in about 1 in 3 games, the testers just missed something - and if you Google search that area of the game, lots of others cite the same frustration. Here's a clip:
JGA month ago while playing Final Fantasy XII, I fought my way to Tiamat, a vicious, huge-clawed dragon -- and couldn't get past him. No matter how many ways I threw my team at the beast, he ripped us to ribbons. Screw it. I decided to check an online FAQ for some hints defeating this thing.
"That's cheating," a friend of mine scoffed. "Really?" I wondered. Personally, I've always figured that using a FAQ might be lame -- like reading the Cliff's Notes version of War and Peace -- but it isn't cheating. It's not like I'm hacking the game with a Game Genie to illicitly acquire extra lives, right?
We never agreed on it. But our argument reminded me of something quite interesting: Video-game players often hold radically different views on what constitutes cheating. Today's digital fare represents the first time we've argued about the precise meaning of cheating.
It didn't used to be so hard to figure out. Johann Huizinga, one of the first big philosophers of ludology -- the study of play -- defined cheating as when you pretend to obey the rules of the game but secretly subvert them to gain advantage over another player. In traditional games, it's usually obvious. Stuffing an ace up your sleeve in poker, slathering a baseball in spit, moving the chess pieces when your opponent goes to the bathroom? Yeah, that's cheating.
Today's multiplayer games -- like Unreal online -- are pretty similar to the old-school stuff. If somebody uses an illicit aimbot to give themselves perfect targeting ability, most gamers agree that's unfair. But where things get super weird is with single-player video games.
posted by Unknown @ 11:50 AM |
Youth Ministry Books - Lowest Prices Ever
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JG
posted by Unknown @ 10:25 AM |
All of the Student Zone Steel is In!
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The Student Zone skeleton is done! Here's a pic I took last night, and you can also check out the Extending the Vision blog for more ... daily updates I'll be helping write in the near future. Fun!JG
posted by Unknown @ 10:04 AM |
Ektelon Warranty Isn't Super Great
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Hmmm .... well, at least I tried. Apparently, in a form letter from Ektelon, the racket was broken during the normal course of playing, and they aren't responsible. Bummer, after getting my hopes all excited ... now, the search begins for a new racket.
JG
posted by Unknown @ 9:51 AM |
Finally Beat Rainbow 6
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Finally beat Rainbow 6 on the 360 last night ... great game.
JG
posted by Unknown @ 9:27 AM |
Stuff from My Friends Blogs: Volume 20
Saturday, April 21, 2007
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20 posts in this series so far - all about notable things my friends are blogging about each week. Check them out when you're done reading this one!
- Allison should write the letters she talks about
- Kurt questions the youth missions paradigm
- Laney likes strangers
- Kevin milks a cow
- Annie's great C-Group
- Adam heckles Mark Cuban
- Rob discovers worship without music
- Courtney finds an idiot soon-to-be-mother
- McGill is back to blogging?
- Puddles blows apart your little mind
- Kurt's new series
- Is Joel cocky or confident?
- Chris ((hearts)) the Power Team
- Mike hates Easter
posted by Unknown @ 8:42 PM |
Fun Video Shoot Tomorrow
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Tomorrow morning we're shooting a video for the Running on Empty series currently running at Saddleback. I'm headed out to film the stoplight in front of the main entrance to campus, and we're going to catch people running red light. Bottom line: if it's Sunday, and you're running a red light to go to church ... we'll, you're too busy. Slow down ... should be fun.
As always, expect it in YouTube when it gets done ...
JG
posted by Unknown @ 6:39 PM |
Letterman Top 10s Sanjaya
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David Letterman, a big Sanjaya fan, put together a little Top 10 in his honor after his departure on American Idol. Funny!
JG
posted by Unknown @ 5:06 PM |
Simply Youth Culture Podcast - 5 More Episodes
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Just so you know the Simply Youth Culture Podcast has been updated with 5 more episodes in iTunes - check it out! If you're not familiar with feeds, live bookmarks and all that jazz, check out this page on SYM, too.
JG
posted by Unknown @ 1:50 PM |
Podcast 49 is in the Can
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We recorded the podcast on Thursday night ... the audio version will be posted this weekend, and the video will follow on Monday. Enjoy!
JG
UPDATE: The audio version is now up in iTunes!
posted by Unknown @ 1:49 PM |
Rick Warren Podcast: The Church After Tragedy
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Pastor Rick's podcast on how to respond when tragedy strikes your community has been posted.
The guests for Mobilizing Your Church in the Wake of a Disaster or Tragedy are:
- Pastor David McPhereson who was the youth pastor at ground zero during the Columbine shootings.
- Pastor Jim Walters of Bear Valley Church in Lakewood, Colo., who ministered as a second tier church during the Columbine shootings.
- Pastor Dishan Wickramaratne of People’s Church in Sri Lanka, who was one of the first pastors to respond to the tsumani in South Asia.
- Pastor Stephen Trammel who ministered through the tragedy surrounding hurricane Katrina and now serves at Champion Forest Baptist Church in Houston, Texas.
- Pastor Jimmie Davidson of Highland Fellowship in Abingdon, Va., currently ministering to the communities near Virgnia Tech.
- Pastor Jim Pace of New Life Christian Fellowship in Blacksburg, Va., currently at ground zero on the Virginia Tech campus.
posted by Unknown @ 1:12 PM |
Free Bluefish Video - Virginia Tech
Friday, April 20, 2007
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BluefishTV has a free video (through Sunday) you could use this weekend in your services if you mention or talk about the tragedy in Virginia this past week. Thanks to Kevin Massey for the lead there - be sure to grab it if it would be helpful!
This week has been difficult as we’ve seen the news of the tragedy in Virginia. Many people are asking tough questions about God, faith and evil.
Bluefish TV would like to encourage a moment in prayer and reflection for the students at Virginia Tech and everyone effected by this shooting. Download this free video clip to play for your congregation, small group or Sunday school class. These moving images from the prayer vigil could be used during a special moment of remembrance as you worship this weekend.
Thank you for faithfully leading people towards God in the good times and especially the hard times.
JG
posted by Unknown @ 4:19 PM |
Brian Regan on Letterman
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If you don't know Brian Regan, here's a taste from YouTube. Enjoy!
JG
posted by Unknown @ 4:17 PM |
Brian Regan Comedy Tonight
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Get to go out on a hot date tonight to CPK (California Pizza Kitchen for all you non-Californians) and to hear a Brian Regan comedy show. How cool is this going to be? Night out, baby!
JG
posted by Unknown @ 4:14 PM |
In-Laws In Safe
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Angela's family just arrived today from Wisconsin - welcome to sunny ... er .... rainy, nasty California!
JG
posted by Unknown @ 4:13 PM |
People on the Blog: Volume 15
Thursday, April 19, 2007
SimplyJosh.com has now moved to DownloadYouthMinistry.com - follow this link to visit the new site with new posts everyday!
This week's edition of people on the blog doesn't really focus on people, but the content that people have enjoyed in the past few months. Aside from the main page where you can read all of the stories on a single page (which gets more than 89% of total traffic), here's the top individual pages in 2007 so far:
10. Why do they read?JG
9. Sorry turned into joy
8. Tell why you're calling when you leave a voicemail
7. I've been cast as an old man
6. How Great is 24?
5. The Next T.O.
4. Back from the World Series of Pop Culture
3. Boise State amazing
2. Flying and children
1. My cowboy shirt
posted by Unknown @ 7:04 PM |
Panera Bread Responds
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Impressed ... very impressed! Panera Bread called me today - I sent them the link to my blog about my bummer of a sandwich the other day. Talked to a very nice lady, they are a) working to correct the problem and b) want to send me a free lunch pass.Encouraging. This is great to see a company respond personally and so quickly. Bravo Panera Bread!
note: edited at the request of Panera Bread
JG
posted by Unknown @ 1:52 PM |
Spider-Man, the Musical?
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This might make your head spin. Spider-Man the musical? Yup, coming soon to Broadway. Spidey super fans will be very excited ... I'm weirded out a bit myself ... but here's a clip from The Hollywood Reporter:
Producing are Hello Entertainment/David Garfinkle, Martin McCallum, Marvel Entertainment and Sony Pictures Entertainment. In addition to co-producing the show, Hello Entertainment is arranging all financing for the project.JG
While the Spider-Man musical marks the first time a Marvel character has been the subject of a Broadway show, it's not the first time a superhero has hit the stage. Superman was in the spotlight of "It's a Bird, It's a Plane, It's Superman," which opened at the Alvin Theatre in 1966. Despite fairly positive reviews, it closed a few months later.
posted by Unknown @ 1:38 PM |
The Promise Opening Video Script
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Just finished writing the first draft of the opening video to The Promise conference. Take a look, I'll revise over the weekend and we shoot it Wednesday. Comments welcomed!
THE PROMISE OPENING VIDEOJG
Loose Girl
Shot cleavage then quick fade through black to
Shot belly button then quick fade through black to
Shot skirt then quick fade through black to
Shot hands then quick fade through black to
Shot eye makeup then quick fade through black to
Shot head then quick fade through black to
Shot feet then quick fade through black to (beat)
Slower complete pan from feet to face
Normal Girl
Shot cleavage then quick fade through black to
Shot belly button then quick fade through black to
Shot skirt then quick fade through black to
Shot hands then quick fade through black to
Shot eye makeup then quick fade through black to
Shot head then quick fade through black to
Shot feet then quick fade through black to (beat)
Slower complete pan from feet to face
BLACK (beat)
Shot cleavage bad girl pan to (handwriting says, "Make sure enough is showing to attract attention!")
Shot cleavage good girl pan to (handwriting says, "Sending the signal of purity")
Fade through black to
Shot belly button bad girl pan to (handwriting says, "Skin is in!")
Shot belly button good girl pan to (Just leaving a little mystery…)
Fade through black to
Shot skirt pan bad girl to (If you’ve got it, flaunt it)
Shot skirt pan bad girl to (I just want to make sure I don’t have to be concerned when I sit down)
Fade through black to
Shot hands bad girl pan to (24/7 everything is all about me)
Shot hands good girl pan to (what can I do to help someone else)
Fade through black to
Shot eye makeup pan to (dazzle them, baby)
Shot eye makeup pan to (focus on what’s most important)
Fade through black to
Shot head bad girl pan to (boys, love, boys … school … boys, love school)
Shot head good girl pan to (forgiveness, love, patience, purity)
Fade through black to
Shot feet bad girl pan to (take me to the top)
Shot feet good girld pan to (where can I go to help?)
Fade through black to
SPLIT SCREEN, pan from feet to face.
BLACK (beat)
TITLE CARD
Which of these is the most becoming?
(morphs into)
Which of these are you becoming?
FADE TO BLACK
posted by Unknown @ 12:01 PM |
Halo 3 Mountain Dew
Wednesday, April 18, 2007
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This is the best possible combination ever, aside from Goober peanut butter and jelly, of course. Mountain Dew and Halo 3? That screams, GAME FUEL.JG
posted by Unknown @ 4:18 PM |
Youth Pastor of the Year
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I posted on Kurt winning the Youth Pastor of the Universe award earlier today. Just now he's posted some great thoughts on the award, that if you're interested might be cool to read. Here's a clip, head to his blog for the rest, and bookmark him while you're there!
Church phone rings and is answered by receptionist who happens to know me better than Fields...JG
TCR: "Hello, can you please give us the name of your youth pastor?"
Church receptionist who happens to know me better than Fields: "Uh, Kurt Johnston?"
TCR: "Thank you."
And that, Ladies and Gentlemen, is how I have become America's Top Youth Pastor two years in a row.
posted by Unknown @ 3:57 PM |
Skits That Teach
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If you’re looking for fun and creative ways to involve your students in learning, you can stop looking. Skits That Teach provides you and your students everything you need to act out funny and compelling skits with total confidence.JG
Search by topic or by group size to find the perfect comedic or dramatic sketch to help illustrate a point or just start a dialogue. The Skit Guys, Eddie James and Tommy Woodard, have tested these skits on teenagers around the country, and they’ve brought together some of the best for this great resource. Plus they give you everything you need for each skit—overview, characters, location, Scripture reference, props, direction pointers, and a complete script.
posted by Unknown @ 2:10 PM |
Panera Bread Bummer
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Just finished lunch at Panera Bread with Johnny Baker from Celebrate Recovery.
this posted edited at the request of Panera Bread
JG
posted by Unknown @ 1:57 PM |
Vince Young Takes on the Madden Curse
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Dude, Vince Young will break his leg this year during the first 5 games of the season. So sad.
JG
posted by Unknown @ 11:33 AM |
Word Search of the Day
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JG
posted by Unknown @ 10:55 AM |
Top 20 Youth Pastors
Tuesday, April 17, 2007
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Kurt Johnston was again named the Youth Pastor of the Year. Hey, wait a minute, did the list even change from last year? Either way, congrats, Kurt!
JG
posted by Unknown @ 9:01 PM |
Tickets to Apprentice Finale!
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Just scored 4 tickets to the live finale of The Apprentice here in LA on Sunday. Don't know if I can go though ... shoot ... that would be awesome. Hmmm ....DOORS OPEN AT 5:15 PM AND CLOSE AT 6:15 PM.JG
ADMISSION IS GUARANTEED AS LONG AS YOU ARRIVE ON TIME.
PLEASE NOTE: BY ENTERING THE HOLLYWOOD BOWL, YOU CONSENT TO THE TELECAST, EXHIBITION AND ANY OTHER USE OF YOUR NAME, VOICE AND LIKENESS. NO CAMERAS AND RECORDING DEVICES ALLOWED.
This is an OUTDOOR, live television event and you may appear on camera. Please dress accordingly and we ask you to not wear white. Thank you!
NO FOOD OR DRINK ALLOWED IN THE THEATRE FOR THIS EVENT
PLEASE NO GUESTS UNDER THE AGE OF 10. THANK YOU!
The show will end promptly at 8 PM and there are no early exits.
posted by Unknown @ 4:06 PM |
Student Leadership Programming
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Had a couple of programming meetings today - the first for this July's PDYM Student Leadership Conference. We've got some fun video ideas for a series called What Happens Next and also a funny subtitled announcement bit for the end of each session; using kids that speak garbled words and we subtitle them with real announcements.
The second meeting was for The Promise, an all-girls conference coming up in May where we're working on their opening video and some emcee stuff with Allison. Fun stuff, programming is one of my favorite parts of my workload.
JG
posted by Unknown @ 2:03 PM |
PDYM Community Lunch
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Just finished up the latest PDYM Community newsletter - this time we're giving one last push for the community lunches that start next week. If you don't subscribe, you can still read it here. Enjoy!JG
posted by Unknown @ 1:57 PM |
Indiana Jones and the City of the Gods
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TheForce.Net is reporting on the working title for the upcoming Indiana Jones movie. Can't wait!JG
posted by Unknown @ 11:00 AM |
Confessions of an Opportunist
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My friend Vince wrote a pretty revealing article about his own struggle with ambition, success and humility. A good read for sure, here's a clip from it:
Ever since I can remember, I’ve wanted to be the best at everything I did. Now that I serve full-time at a church, well, that same drive still exists. What I’ve discovered over the years is that ambition is really a two-headed monster. One head drives us to become better or more effective than we are; the other tries to manipulate and “leverage” opportunities so that we can feel recognized and validated that we are “somebody.”JG
My own struggle has been this—which of these two motives drives me most? I can now honestly say that 80-95% of my drive is truly for God’s glory and the expansion of His Kingdom. However, I write this article because of the reality of the remaining 5%-20%. It is that wavering part of me that doesn’t want to die, that part of me that still likes the idea of becoming a famous youth ministry “guru.” It is that lingering piece that at times resembles the Pharisee who loves to sit at the head of the table. The part of me who wants to become a well-known author and speak in front of huge crowds. That part of me who wants to give God most of the glory and keep a little for myself.
I have discovered that ego and pride can easily creep in along with the excitement of seeing new people being reached with the Gospel message. Ambition is not only common, it’s insidious. After all, others authentically offer most of the encouragement we receive with genuine gratitude. That is why we must remain vigilant in watching for signs of the “ugly head” of ambition in our own hearts. How many more stories and examples do we need to hear about a pastor whose competence took him farther than his character could sustain. Henri Nouwen's states in his book, In The Name Of Jesus, “The leader of the future will be the one who dares to claim his irrelevance in the contemporary world as a divine vocation that allows him or her to enter into a deep solidarity with the anguish underlying all the glitter of success and to bring the light of Jesus there."
posted by Unknown @ 10:57 AM |
Thinks Before You Post 2
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The sequel to the first one from the other day.
JG
posted by Unknown @ 10:51 AM |
Review: Happy Feet
Monday, April 16, 2007
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Penguin propaganda for 6-year olds. At least my kids got to dance in the living room so it wasn't a complete waste of an evening.Occasionally there's some great animation or a funny moment, but it's all contextualized in the evil empire of Western Civilization. I want my kids to be good stewards of the world's resources, but this cliché stuff kills me every time. Every single nature show I watch is framed in the man=bad mindset. I guess I'm tired of it.
Really lame, kind of a sham it won the Best Animated Movie of the Year Academy Award, too. Not even worth renting, unless you have an unhealthy obsession with animated, tap-dancing penguins. Barely cute, sorry! D+
JG
posted by Unknown @ 6:44 PM |
Adventure Management Now Available
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JG
posted by Unknown @ 3:22 PM |
Intern Host Home Script
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We're having an "awards night" in the coming weeks for our volunteers at Saddleback, just cranked out this script for a video we're doing to praise the families that host our church interns.
We shoot it tomorrow, so comment me some great lines or moments to add in. As always, I'll post the final version in YouTube and link it here when it gets finished ...
Host Home Video ScriptJG
CRASH!
A child breaks a glass vase. A scream is heard in the background.
Husband and wife are doing dishes.
WIFE
Did you hear the announcement this weekend about host homes?
(beat)
Turn off the Xbox honey!
HUSBAND
No, I fell asleep after shortly after Pastor Doug started talking.
(picks up a child, preoccupied)
… so what’s it all about?
(distracted, turns to children)
Kids! Turn down the TV!
WIFE
Well, there’s about a dozen people from all over the world that serve at our church for free, and they stay in church member homes. I think it’s a pretty amazing thing, actually.
HUSBAND
Son, don’t … (crash). Sigh.
WIFE
Seriously, we should do it! It would be so fun!
(beat)
Brody, get in the house right now!
HUSBAND
(getting beat down with a lightsaber)
Yeah, right.
WIFE
(looks hopeful)
(beat, husband lays down on couch)
Man, that sounds like the life … sometimes I wish I was an intern.
(dream sequence, all silent with strong musical theme)
HUSBAND daydreams about living in a host home. Scenes include an absolute feast on the dinner table, skipping through the park, laughing heartily at chic-fil-a, grilling out a huge steak, eating a krispy kreme donut and nodding head. Bed time turn down service complete with mint, host mother reading a bed-time story. Children “helping” by doing taxes, foot massage. And other spontaneious things we film when we are on location.
Dream sequence ends abruptly.
WIFE
(shaking husband)
Honey, did you hear what I said?
HUSBAND
… huh?
WIFE
I signed us up to host an intern. They are moving in next week.
HUSBAND
Gasp!
TITLE CARD
Thanks for hosting our interns. You are truly a gift.
posted by Unknown @ 3:15 PM |
Simply Youth Culture Podcast
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We just partnered with the Center for Parent Understanding to start a new podcast called Simply Youth Culture. It'll be updated every Friday with 5 new episodes ... check it out now!
JG
posted by Unknown @ 2:02 PM |
Think Before You Post
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The next time I teach the MySpace workshop, I think I'll include this video. Thanks to Treece for the lead to this one.
JG
posted by Unknown @ 10:10 AM |
Create a TV Show for Xbox
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How awesome does this sound? The New York Television Festival and Xbox 360 are looking for a hot new online pilot they can air. Details at the link, here's the gist:
The “Xbox LIVE Originals” contest will invite a wide range of artists and Xbox users to create a 5 to 15-minute pilot episode introducing an original television series. The pilots may be any genre (comedy, action, drama, sci-fi, etc.), and they may be live-action, animated or both. All entries must be submitted before June 29th, 2007. A selection of standout finalists will be featured exclusively on Xbox LIVE Marketplace starting in July. The winner of the contest will receive a $100,000 deal with Xbox LIVE to create a six-episode series based on the short pilot as well as an exclusive screening event at the 2007 New York Television Festival.JG
posted by Unknown @ 10:03 AM |
Vision Builders Episode 3
Sunday, April 15, 2007
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Here's a video that played a week ago at Saddleback about the recent construction ... come on Student Zone!
JG
posted by Unknown @ 10:08 PM |
Friends Don't Let Friends Fly Drunk
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The best PSA, Star Wars style ...
JG
posted by Unknown @ 10:05 PM |
Paul Beloche This Weekend
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This weekend at Saddleback featured songwriter Paul Beloche, better known as the guy who wrote Open the Eyes of My Heart. Very cool, humble worship leader. Grabbed a couple of his songs in iTunes tonight, too. Nice!JG
posted by Unknown @ 5:40 PM |
